Page 155 of A Baron of Bonds
The music began to chime, fast and joyous, something my feet itched to move to. The handle began to spin backward, unwinding to play the song, and I took Thevin’s hands as we spun around laughing. He twirled me around and arounduntil I thought I’d fall, before catching me, which he seemed particularly good at, and I laughed into his warm chest.
He was at least a whole head taller than me, and I had to pull mine all the way back to really see him. A grin crossed his lips, revealing his one dimple, and his blue eyes shone bright with mischief.
I teasingly shoved him away, laughing with him and taking the cylinder from its home, pulling another one and snapping it into place before winding the handle.
The music began, soft and low.
“Oh, this one’s slow,” I murmured, reaching down to replace it.
He caught my arm and said, “Leave it. I like slow.”
He pulled my hand to his shoulder, bent slightly to grab the other, and then placed it on the other side. He wrapped his own hands around my waist, and I gulped, my body sending a shiver through me.
I wanted him to touch me. I wanted him to bend forward and kiss me.
No.
No, I did not.
If he did, everything would change.
Like Pah-Pah had said, if we did not take risks, we would live the same. The same life we had always lived.
I wasn’t sure this was a risk I was willing to take while not knowing the outcome of something blossoming between us. I was still content to stay here, never changing a thing, seeing him each day of summer and soaking in his laugh, his eyes that would twinkle in mirth, seeping into my heart to tug—jolting me from a steady heartbeat to a racing one.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he murmured, swaying us slowly around to the light tines of the song that filled my room.
“I’m thinking about the party.”
He smirked. “Liar.”
I shrugged, looking down as we moved slowly to the rhythm.
“Ask me.” He nudged my foot with his.
“Ask you what?”
“Ask me what I’m thinking.”
I huffed and rolled my eyes, doing my best to keep a ridiculously wide grin from forming on my face. “My dear friend, Thevin, what are you thinking about this very moment?”
“How beautiful you are,” he returned.
No, no, no, no.
My heart pounded, furiously urging me to accept the risk it wanted to take.
I gave a small chuckle and said, “You should see my gown for the party. My mother wrote to a friend and had it specially made for?—”
“I’m not talking about your gown, Sae. I’m talking about you. Right now. Right here.” He lifted a hand to my face. “Like this.”
I shook my head and swallowed. “Don’t. Don’t say that.”
“I will say that. I will say it because it is true. And you should know it.”
“Don’t say anything else then.”
“What if I want to? What if I have a lot more to say?” He grinned wickedly. “I thought you liked hearing my voice.”
